1. Field of the Invention
This invention most generally relates to an auto roof mirror assembly which is adaptable for removably attaching to a vehicle in a manner which permits at least one occupant, including the driver, to view the roof area of the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary or in motion. More particularly, the invention is directed to a vehicle roof-view mirror assembly which may be mounted or removably attached, without damaging or altering the vehicle in any way, to the roof of an automobile, truck, bus, van or other vehicle, so that at least the driver or other occupants can observe articles which may be attached to the top/roof or rear portion of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently there is nothing available that permits the safe viewing while driving a motor vehicle of the roof area of the vehicle. When there is a roof rack which is either a standard component on the vehicle or removably attached, and the rack has luggage or other material loaded onto it, the driver, or other passengers have no reasonable way to determine whether the load in the rack is shifting or otherwise not adequately secured. The vehicle must be stopped periodically to determine the status of the roof rack and the contents of it.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,288 to Toy relates to a periscopic rear view optical system for vehicles. The intent of the invention is to provide a view of objects to the rear of the car without the necessity of line of sight as is required by conventional rear view mirrors. The invention is complicated and does not address the concerns of the invention disclosed herein nor does it disclose the instant vehicle roof-view mirror apparatus or assembly. Further, one would not find any obvious basis in Toy to create or make the instant invention.
All of the patents which were developed in the patentability search except for U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,405 to Chin-Wun have as the primary object an alternate means for viewing objects to the rear of the vehicle using a periscopic type of assembly. They all require an aperture to be cut into the car roof in order to use the assembly.
The Chin-Wun patent relates to a back view mirror, by which the driver can see the view straight backward of the car body. Thus when a car is to be backed up the driver can now know what is happening directly behind the rear end of the car body.
None of the prior art which has been studied or which is known to to inventor hereof satisfies the need for viewing the roof area of a vehicle in a simple and economically feasible way. The present invention, because of the various optional adjusting means, allows the use of the mirror assembly with a wide assortment of vehicles and vehicle types. The invention also relates to means for viewing the roof area and the space above the roof area which is incorporated into the vehicle as original equipment or factory installed assembly and/or is custom made for the make and model of vehicle on which the assembly is incorporated especially when the view expanding mirror is external to and forward of the vehicle windshield or windscreen.